A Random Act
by whitecrossgirl
Summary: Sometimes a random act of kindness is enough to give you hope. Set just after 'The Hunter's Heart'


**AN: Apparently Mithian is returning in series 5; don't know whether that's true or not; the actress who played her supposedly tweeted that she was. If it is true I think it will be really interesting whenever Mithian and Gwen meet whenever it happens. **

As the group from Nemeth journeyed away from Camelot, Princess Mithian was lost in thought. Mithian was confused on how to feel. While she hadn't wanted to be married; she was disappointed the wedding was cancelled. She didn't know Arthur well enough to love him; therefore she wasn't heartbroken. Mithian wasn't angry or devastated yet she wasn't overjoyed or relieved. It was hard to know what to feel. What does one feel whenever their arranged marriage to someone they had a mild friendship with was cancelled because he loved another? Was she to be envious that someone else held Arthur's heart? Was she to be furious and attempt to get her father to start a pointless vengeance war against Camelot? Or was she supposed to hold her head high and simply see it as a bump in the long road she was to travel on her journey through life? Mithian liked to think she was mature and sensible enough to choose for the third option. It was unbecoming to react like a spoilt child who was denied a treat and she liked to think she was above having temper tantrums. Mithian was jolted from her thoughts as the lead guard in front of her stopped his horse. Mithian tugged at her own reigns to calm her mare and turned to one of the guards riding at her side.

"What is wrong?" Mithian asked. The guard pointed at the figure that was leaning against a tree with a hand pressed against her leg and who staring at them with a look mixed with fear and defiance. As Mithian studied the woman; she felt a pang of sympathy for her. The woman was dressed in a very revealing dark purple dress. The top of it clung to her breasts and the material was all but transparent over her midriff. The legs were a cross between a skirt and trousers. There were no shoes on her feet. It was clear the woman must have escaped from slave traders and she looked no older than Mithian herself.

As the guard approached her, the woman stood her ground and seemed to relax as it was clear their insignias, colours and horses were not the ones she was running from. They stopped beside the woman and Mithian gestured for the woman to approach her. Slowly the woman moved forward, wrapping her arms around her stomach in an attempt to retain some dignity and whenever she reached Mithian's mere, she curtsied.

"Are you alright?" Mithian asked.

"Fine my lady." The woman replied. Mithian had to admire the woman's independence. She clearly didn't look fine yet was unwilling to seek help like a damsel in distress.

"Where are you travelling to?" Mithian asked.

"Ealdor," the woman replied.

"That's a long journey and the woods can be dangerous. Would you like one of my guards to accompany you to ensure your safety?" Mithian offered.

"I cannot allow you to risk your safety for mine. You are clearly a very important woman; far more important than I am." The woman replied with a light shrug of her shoulders but her eyes betrayed the secret sad truth of her statement.

"Nonsense; it's clear you've been through an ordeal and you're injured. I cannot possibly let you travel all the way to Ealdor by yourself." Mithian insisted. She had noticed the woman limping slightly as she walked to Mithian and Mithian was a lot of things but she was not naïve and she was no fool. A pretty young woman like her who was roaming the woods alone, dressed in such a way and with some form of injury while clearly fleeing slave traders and who refusing any sort of help; if that was not risking some sort of danger; Mithian didn't know what was.

"I can manage by myself my lady. Trust me; I've… I've gotten used to being alone." The woman replied and there was the look of sadness in her eyes again before it was quickly hidden.

"At least let me help you in some way. There is a spare cloak which I could lend you. It could help you from attracting attention to yourself." Mithian offered awkwardly; trying not to insult the woman.

"You don't have to do that," the woman replied but Mithian cut across her.

"Please; I want to help you. It is the least I could do." Mithian insisted and as she watched; something in the woman seemed to break. It was clear she was unwilling to accept help but it seemed the rationality in Mithian's offer had triumphed and the woman slowly nodded. Mithian turned to one of her guards who dismounted his horse and fetched the cloak from the belongings Mithian had brought with her to Camelot. After a few seconds he produced the long cloak which he handed to the woman who gratefully slung it over her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head.

"Thank you my lady. You didn't have to do this." The woman said.

"Nonsense, anyone else would do the same." Mithian replied modestly.

"No they wouldn't," the woman replied with a greater understanding of how harsh the world really was. "Have a safe journey home my lady."

"You too," Mithian replied as he guard led her away. Mithian turned and looked back at the cloaked woman who raised her hand in farewell before she walked back into the trees. It was only a short while later did Mithian realise that she never asked the woman her name.

Gwen wrapped the cloak around her tighter to ensure as much as the dress was covered as she made her way through the woods. Something about her encounter with the strange woman helped to lift a weight off her shoulders. Over the past number of weeks Gwen had learnt the hard way that trust was not something which could be easily relied on and self-preservation was the best method of survival. The only person she could really rely on anymore was herself. The past few days had been filled with terror and panic whenever Helios took her hostage and her encounters with Morgana; the enchantment her former friend placed upon her and having to flee for her life from Arthur and the knights she once considered to be brothers. The darkness of her experiences was also mixed with the brief joy Gwen felt at her short reunion with Merlin. It was the only time over the past few weeks that she hadn't felt alone; like she had a friend but that time couldn't last and once again she was alone. As Gwen journeyed further towards Camelot she traced over the fabric of the cloak; it was soft and warm and obviously worth more than she cared to think about. No matter whatever standing the woman had; she didn't have to give such a fine piece of clothing way to a total stranger. The fact that there was at least one other genuinely kind person out there; aside from Merlin and Hunith was enough to allow Gwen to keep walking towards Ealdor with the thought that no matter how dark her life had gotten; sometimes asingle genuine act of kindness was enough to give her hope.


End file.
